Chapter 38

**KAIA**

Amy is the most closed-off person I've ever known. Though it doesn't show during first impressions because she can act like she's an open book, the more you get to know her, the more you realize that she hardly ever shares anything personal unless she wants to.

And that would be during a random time like tonight.

"What's going on, Ames?" I asked again, encouraging her to talk to me because if I didn't, she would remain like this the whole night.

If not, a whole week.

"Nate's ghosting me," she confessed with a weak voice, giving away a hint that she was about to cry.

I was ready to help stop her from publicly embarrassing herself by bawling her eyes out in front of me, which she would thank me for later because it would be so not cute, but the reason completely threw me off guard.

"Nate?" I asked, confusion and surprise visible on my face.

She nodded.

"Nate, as in... your brother's friend Nate? The same Nate we both know? The captain of the hockey team?"

She looked up and frowned as if I had just asked her if she wanted to try cocaine with me tonight.

"Yes, Kaia, that Nate. How many Nates do you know?"

I shrugged. "Not many that I can remember. Wait, so how come Nate is ghosting you? Aren't you two just friends?"

She suddenly released a heavy sigh.

Damn, either I was too blind to notice, or she's just too good at keeping things low-key. I was aware of the usual flirting and banter between them, but like, have things really moved that fast between them?

"We hooked up two nights ago," Amy said. My eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"Oh." I didn't even bother hiding it in my tone. This was not the tea I was expecting to get from anyone tonight.

I've honestly been wrapped up in my own bubble, I don't even have time to notice what's going on around me anymore.

"And now he's suddenly ghosting me," Amy whined in complaint. "Just last night, I texted him, and he left me on 'delivered,' which he never did before because the guy replies really fast."

She clung to my arm again and looked at me with teary eyes.

"I am driving myself crazy, Kaia. I really liked him, but what we did was just based on a no-strings-attached thing. It was fun at first, but now I think I've gotten attached to the guy, and it's making me want to throw my self-respect out the window and chase him to the ends of the earth."

I internally winced at the thought of chasing after a guy like that. I was never one to chase because of a hard mistake I learned back in high school that resulted in weeks of heartache and endless sleepless nights.

Now the thought of losing my self-respect just to chase after someone I liked but receiving mixed signals in return makes me want to stand in front of a moving car and let fate decide the end of me.

Amy was too pretty to be doing that. Even for someone like Nate, no matter how much she likes him. She's always the catch but never the chaser, so for her to be losing her shit over a guy can only mean one thing.

She really likes him.

"Amy, I swear to God—" She suddenly cut me off by tugging my arm and looking at something behind me.

I frowned at her until she looked at me again, only this time with a huge smile on her face.

She signaled for me to look behind, and I did. I was struck with surprise when I saw Callum standing just a few feet away, smiling at us.

I wasn't expecting to run into him tonight, let alone at the arcade, but I guess it was a small world after all.

Callum gave me a small wave before walking over to us. His cologne drifted all around him, and it immediately hit us the minute he got close.

God, how does he pull off smelling good all the time?

He was wearing a jacket with the hood over his head and both hands buried deep in its pockets. I almost entertained the thought that the guy low-key looked like a stalker following us tonight.

"Funny seeing you here tonight," he told me, a warm smile settling over his face.

"I could say the same thing. Are you meeting anybody here?"

He shrugged his shoulders while pouting those nice lips of his.

"I think I already met her." His response made me flush uncontrollably. I could feel Amy's teasing tug on my sleeve, which suddenly reminded me of her. I stepped to the side so Callum could also see her.

"Callum, meet my roommate, Amy. Ames, this is Callum. He's a friend."

"For now," Callum said while reaching his hand out toward Amy for a handshake.

Amy smirked at us both after hearing what he just said. The guy is such a tease.

"Now I totally get what you're talking about," Amy replied while winking at me.

I almost wanted to facepalm myself and beg God to teleport me back to my dorm room at that instant.

"Good things, I hope?" He responded to Amy, and she only smirked wider at him.

"Even better."

Callum smiled and stared at me. I struggled to keep the smile on my face while glaring pointedly at her.

"Anyway, you lovebirds go out and have fun. I'm going to hang around a little bit before heading back to my dorm room," Amy said, and before I had the chance to talk to her, Callum suddenly beat me to it.

"You sure you don't want to hang out with us? I actually don't mind."

A different look passed over Amy's features, but it was quickly gone and replaced by another smile that was forced around the edges.

"No, go ahead. I'll be alright. I'm too exhausted to hang around here any longer."

She then turned to me and gently grabbed my hand.

"I'll see you back at the dorm. Have fun, guys!" She waved us off and got swallowed by the crowd after leaving our side.

I stared after her for a while longer. That was the first time she actually wanted to talk to me about something, and I wanted to be there for her, but Callum's timing was just...

"So," he said, pulling me away from my train of thought.

I turned to the side and faced him with a smile.

"So," I repeated.

"It's been a while, huh?" I chuckled while casting a glance at the ground.

"I guess so," I replied after looking up and meeting his gaze.

"I have something in mind for us to do that I think you'll enjoy." I raised my brows, intrigued.

"Really? You sure about that?"

"No doubts at all," he answered while stepping past me, looking back over his shoulder with a lazy grin on his face.

Another butterfly in my stomach let loose from its cage, and I bit my lip as a reminder not to let myself get affected by him. But it was already too late the minute he jerked his head to the side, gesturing for me to follow his lead.

I slowly shook my head and proceeded to follow him through the crowd, letting my nerves settle as I tried to explore this newfound connection with someone I was not supposed to catch feelings for.